1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiring connection structure for a vehicle motor used in an electric automobile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, in view of environmental problems, electric automobiles have been extensively developed. One type has wheel motors with each motor directly connected to a corresponding wheel through a reduction gear. Since this type employs driving sources which are associated with individual wheels, respectively, each wheel can pivot through 90 degrees both in the right and left directions with respect to the direction of straight advance, and thus provides advantageous functions such as a small turning radius and parallel movement.
For actuating the wheel motors, a battery and a control device on a vehicle body are connected to the motors through power wiring and control wiring. In the prior art, these wirings are extended from rear surfaces of the wheel motors through a lower part of the body to an upper part of the body. Further, the wirings are connected to the motor casings by means of connectors attached to the casings.
However, the above arrangement, in which the wirings are extended from the rear surfaces of the wheel motors through the lower part of the body to the upper part of the body, creates a problem it that it requires lengths for the wirings to allow for the wheels moving laterally and vertically. This problem is particularly evident in a case where the wheels are adapted to pivot through 90 degrees in both the right and left directions with respect to the straight ahead direction. Further, the extra lengths of wiring may interfere with the suspension and/or contact the road surface when the wheels are in the straight ahead positions. In order to prevent such problems, the wirings must be supported by appropriate means such as elastic hooks.
In the foregoing type of connection to the wheel motors only a short distance and little space are left between the coil of each motor and the connector and, accordingly, the operation of making a connection between the coil and the connector is difficult, and further there is a problem with respect to sealing for preventing ingress of water and other material into the wheel motor.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a wiring connection structure for a vehicle motor, overcoming the above-noted problems, in which the wiring is not required to have an extra length, and thus neither interferes with the suspension nor contacts with the road surface, and easy assembly and good water sealing can be achieved.